Foley Shield 2024: Townsville win men’s shield in the most unpredictable fashion
It all came down to the final seconds of the final game for the Foley Shield but history has been made in the most extraordinary fashion in Mackay. Find out what happened >>>>
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You couldn’t script it.
Townsville are the men’s Foley Shield champions.
They didn’t win the most games, or have the best for and against, but they scored the most tries, and that was what mattered in an extraordinary set of circumstances.
Across the three-day carnival, Mackay, Cairns and Townsville all won one game, and they all won by four points. It meant a try countback was the method utilised to determine the 2024 champions.
Townsville trailed Mackay 22-8 with 20 minutes remaining at BB Print Stadium on Monday, but rallied late to find two tries in just over 10 minutes.
“I think it comes down to our will and our desire to win,” said hooker Curtis Dempsey
“We just wanted to make sure our effort was there for a whole 80 minutes.”
The triumph was just reward for a team that fell victim to a Ben Barba masterclass in last year’s instalment of the tournament.
Having swapped Cairns colours for Mackay’s maroon, Barba again threatened to crush Townsville’s chance at clinching the Shield.
He weaved his way between the Townsville defence on a dime as he so often does, before the immense power that befell his stature very nearly thrust him over the line, but cluster of Townsville defenders would hold him up.
It marked a changing of the guard, as the champion batten was passed from Barba to the Townsville outfit.
Townsville Women’s claim 2024 Foley Shield
Everyone’s lives are made up of moments and like life, football is no different.
Moments to win a short, sharp carnival like the Foley Shield, you need them.
You need to seize them when they arise, but you also need to create them.
Gagie Mackie Namok didn’t just seize her moments - she created them.
Her something-out-of-nothing brilliance proved a flashpoint in the Townsville women’s 24-18 win over Mackay at BB Print Stadium on Monday.
In the first 15 minutes of the game the ball rarely - if at all - found it’s way into Townsville’s attacking half, yet a Melody Tass try in the corner and subsequent four points was all Mackay had to show for its early dominance.
Enter Mackie Namok.
She stripped her opponent one-on-one 30m out and streamed over the stripe.
A culmination of countless moments no doubt led to Townsville’s triumph, but that one in particular that altered the course of the match. It was a flashpoint.
Her co-captains sung her praises after a 40-0 demolition of Cairns to kick off their campaign on Sunday, and they will no doubt be singing them again after her efforts today.
Mackie Namok was involved in plenty, so much so that when the hair of two opposing players became entangled in the games dying minutes, it had to be hers.
Following the strip, Townsville would wrestle the ascendancy from a somewhat stunned Mackay and add another try some five minutes later through Toni Daisy.
The home side hit back before the bell to trail 8-10 at the break, but a brilliant zigging and zagging effort up the wing from Daisy soon after the half extended Townsville’s lead.
From there, the visitors kept Mackay scoreless en route to victory and their dogged determination wouldn’t relent - even in the final minute with the result as close to a certainty as can be - Courtney Reynolds hit her opponent with crisp ferocity, driving her back close to 10 metres.
Pure will was a recurring theme through Townsville’s second half, no matter how much pressure Mackay applied, they refused to crumble and found ways to score when the next opportunity would present.
Townsville fullback Brandy Yallop had moments of brilliance, as did Mackay’s Samantha Cahill, particularly when she single-handedly held up a try in the first half despite being barrelled over the stripe.
Townsville stave off Cairns to set up decider
Townsville repelled a late Cairns push to blow the men’s Foley Shield wide open.
Crucially for the victors, their 22-18 victory at BB Print Stadium on Sunday means they control their own fate heading into tomorrow’s finale against the hometown Mackay, as a win would see them remain the only undefeated side and lift the Foley Shield.
Townsville won Sunday’s clash in the middle and a dominant opening half saw them hold a 12-0 lead at the break, with the second of three tries coming via some quick hands on the right edge and strong Jake Riley finish.
Despite the scoreless start, Cairns found their groove in the second half to cross for three tries, but it would be too little too late.
Liam O’Brien played at fullback for Cairns and his confidence faltered under the high ball, leading to consecutive costly errors that culminated in a Tyreece Woods double in a matter of minutes.
Winger Daniel Woodhouse was brilliant in defence for Cairns however and kept his side in the game, not once but twice single-handedly preventing a Townsville linebreak from culminating in a try.
For Townsville, halfback Declan Dowson was equally as pivotal in the first half defending linebreaks, while five-eighth Patrick Gallen played a strong game and crossed the stripe.
Although Townsville’s dominance came through the middle, it often culminated in tries on the edge.
With a 22-12 lead and under five minutes to play the result looked to be sealed, however a late Cairns try through O’Brien cut the margin to four.
Any hopes of a Cairns miracle win – which would have seen them clinch the Foley Shield –were foiled soon after however when the kick off was dropped.
Mackay and Townsville will do battle at 2pm on Monday to determine who will be crowned champions.
TOWNSVILLE WOMEN def. CAIRNS WOMEN 40-0
A tantalising women’s Foley Shield final awaits on Monday.
Townsville’s comprehensive 40-0 domination over Cairns at BB Print Stadium in Mackay sees them join the Sea Eagles on one win apiece, and it means the winner of tomorrow’s clash will be crowned Foley Shield champions.
It concludes a testing Foley Shield campaign for the Cairns women, who were unable to score a point over their two matches, having lost 28-0 to Mackay on Saturday.
Townsville owned the territory battle for large portions of their clash with Cairns, with their dominance inspired by a bruising by forward pack and potent right-edge attack.
They took a 16-0 lead into halftime before piling on the pain in the second-half.
Five-eighth Jariel Martin-Savage played a key role, dinking a nifty grubber behind the Cairns line to set up one try, before taking it upon herself to score and convert the next with a zipping effort.
Gabbie Mackie-Namok crossed for two tries, her second a superb length of the field interception and 30-metre run.
Toni Daisy further enhanced the highlight reel late when she darted through a hole in the Cairns defence on the left edge and bolted down the wing for the final try of the clash.
Jordii Mahendrarajah would also cross for two tries, her second a brilliant slicing effort that culminated in a flying dive over the stripe.
Chloe Buttigieg played a strong game in the middle and was Townsville’s chief enforcer, while fullback Brandy Yallop showcased her zip throughout the contest.
Despite going scoreless, Cairns finished each half strongly and created chances, but Townsville’s defence – relatively underworked – withstood whatever was thrown at them.
Tomiko Hirakawa was the closest to scoring for Cairns, agonisingly held up in the in-goal, while it took five Townsville defenders to stop her front-row partner Lexeen Mathieson close to the stripe
Townsville’s ladies will continue their quest for Foley Shield glory at 12.30pm tomorrow
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